Para ser un restaurante Michelin, el servicio fue muy pobre, los sabores estaba muy lejos de ser delicioso. Al llegar la cuenta, nos cargaron a mi tarjeta otra mesa donde el cargo fue totalmente inaceptable. nuestra experiencia fue decepcionante. read more

We had a WONDERFUL 22-course dinner here to celebrate my birthday, and my expectation was very high. TL, DR: it's worth it, just make sure to budget 3.5h for the meal. The space is big, but intimate. You can definitely have a conversation, but it's not super quiet. I guess they put all tables doing the 22-course experience in the back by the kitchen, which I prefer more than the space in front. Drinks - very very good, and full of colors. I'm not one to order the same thing over and over again, but the Chimberito with soursop was just too good to have once. Spouse ordered the Don't Give Papaya and Colgar and loved them both. Food - OMG the 22 courses make up a really memorable experience that will tickles all of your senses. Timing was great, and despite not being too hungry coming in, I didn't leave the meal feeling uncomfortably stuffed. That said, it's still a lot of food, so be prepared. Some of our favorites are: - Corn Bunuelo - Crab empanadas - less the empanadas itself but the crab meat filling on the side - The cheesy tapioca bread "Tree of life" - Seafood cazuela - and all the desserts The food is colorful, inventive, delicious, and just so full of Columbian pride! Run, don't walk and you won't be disappointed! read more

We went to El Cielo for my birthday and a romantic night out. This restaurant did not disappoint in regards to atmosphere, food, service, and beyond. The food was not only delicious, but the servers tell an incredible story about Columbia's rich history and culture as you explore all the courses. I will admit that the course that involves licking chocolate off your hands in front of a server waiting for you to be done left me feeling a bit strange, but my partner and I laughed about it the rest of the night. We loved the presentation of the dishes nearly as much as we enjoyed the food itself, and we left feeling very full, satisfied, and happy. read more

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I have a mix feeling about this restaurant. My wife took me there for my birthday. Everything started off very well, the appetizers were very light and refreshing. However, the main courses were SUPER SALTY (Halibut, Quail, Posta Negra and Lamb). Not sure what happened, felt like those dishes were being double seasoned. Desserts were nicely presented, but they all tasted just all right, nothing spectacular. The Colombian Emerald was one of the Michelin signature sugary candies which I'm never a fan of. Seriously, I rather they don't give out those candies. The highlight of the meal would be the Chocotherapy (It was a very unique experience, I'm not going to spoil it, try for yourself). Service was pretty good, but I guess that's what you could expect from a Michelin starred restaurant. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant, especially at this price point. read more

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We were so pleased with our meal at El Cielo in DC. We have recently visited three of the new DC Michelin star restaurants and were less than fully satisfied with two of the others. However, El Cielo clearly deserves its star (and maybe more). We will discuss our usual analysis of food, service, and value (trading off price with quality). To start, the food really is fantastic, and we thought deserving of two Michelin stars (not just one). You are guided through "The Experience" (the tasting menu name) of 20 courses of complex and a definitely imaginative combination of flavors. Chef Barrientos deserves high praise for engaging diners' palates. After each course, we were really excited to try the next course to see where our taste buds would go next. I will spare you (and save the surprise for each course), but I said after eating the halibut "If I smoked, I could use a cigarette about now." Who knew halibut could be so seductive : - ). There are several seafood courses, and they are different and imaginatively executed with exciting flavors and textures. Also, the corn buñuelo both exploded AND melted in our mouths- a very unexpected surprise. Wine was well selected and enhanced each course. There is a little bit of schtick in the menu - washing your hands in chocolate, mounting the bread in the "tree of life," and the rose petals with lotion at the end. Nothing was completely over the top that it didn't have at least a little purpose and offered some enhancement to the meal. I realize it is a delicate balance. At this price point, lots of folks demand some production value, so you probably get just enough. After all, even the Inn at Little Washington has its mooing cow cheese cart. Service was friendly and definitely attentive. Spacing between courses was just right. Of course, to be fair, the kitchen knows in advance what to prepare, since they know what you are getting even with allergy modifications before you arrive. El Cielo beautifully executed our lactose allergy by making SUBSTITUTIONS not SUBTRACTIONS. This was a welcomed change given our disappointments at other recently reviewed Michelin-starred restaurants. There were a couple of small hiccups with service. We did have to explain our lactose allergy to the server, who I expected to know at our arrival (but the kitchen did know). Also, the restaurant is on the louder side. The combination of the servers' masks and the music makes it difficult to hear. Even after asking to repeat several times, I caught about half of what our server stated, so we missed details on the food and wine. Wine was ALWAYS perfectly executed and was served before the food and tableware was always reset correctly and timely. The logistics of managing such a plethora of courses is something that cannot go unnoticed. Also, El Cielo gladly split our single wine pairing (some 2 & 3 Michelin-starred restaurants won't do this), so they deserve that shoutout. Frankly, we love the play of food and wine, but we are both now too old YET too undisciplined to each be trusted with an entire wine pairing for one of these multi-multi course experiences. On balance, service was good and well executed. Now to the value, fair warning, El Cielo is not cheap. It's probably one of the more expensive tasting menus in the DC area, and you prepay for food and wine pairings. Total price for two tasting menus and one wine pairing (tax and 20% tip are included in the prepayment) was $787.80. It's a lot- no doubt. However, if you REALLY like food and don't have to skip eating for the rest of the month or sell a spare organ to eat here, then we think it is totally worth the experience. We will return (just maybe not every day..since I like having two kidneys!), even though the food is crazy good! read more

El Cielo - Beautifully complex presented dish..but even better tasting!!! - Latin American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Please see the photos of correspondence before reading. I am personally outraged over El Cielo's  tone-deaf treatment of a prospective customer whom they thwarted at every turn. Their response is literally mind-boggling and is indicative of customer service gone completely wrong: 1) Screenshot/ Photo 1 - I initially reached out to El Cielo for a request for additional COVID precautions since my friend is a caretaker for an immunocompromised relative. The first email was on the Wednesday before my Saturday reservation. 2) I emailed and called them to follow-up two more times.  3) I posted my review on the Saturday before I got the cancellation from them.  4) Subsequently, I received the correspondence in Screenshot 2 displaying their poor response. The behavior of this restaurant and their audacity to treat would-be diners is abhorrent. If I could rate this interaction less than one star, I would. Obviously, customer service was not taken into account on the most recent Michelen ratings. I will definitely be sending them a letter with documentation of this terrible terrible account. read more

El Cielo - Screenshot 2 - El Cielo response about their lack of decency in customer service. - Latin American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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El Cielo made our Valentine's celebration a memorable experience! I wanted to surprise my husband this year and the CCO, Pedro, was very helpful when it came to helping me with last minute reservations. The entire staff was friendly, eloquent, and very professional. My husband and I are both Spanish speakers (it is our mother tongue) and we loved interacting with the staff in Spanish (this made it so much more special to us). Now, as for the food. Let me just start by saying that when I told my husband what our dining experience would be like, he was very skeptical. He is an amateur fighter, and when he is not doing "fighting camps" he LOVES to eat. When we arrived he was already making plans to go eat arepas after, to finish filling his tummy. Needles to say, arepas did not happen after, as he was extremely full from all the courses. Each meal was beautifully presented, and tasted just as divine! We loved knowing what each meal represented and they are all a beautiful homage to Colombia. The atmosphere in El Cielo, is very cozy. The aesthetics of the restaurant itself makes you feel like you are eating at a friends house. From the decorations to the music. Y para terminar, usando las palabras de mi hermoso esposo después de finalizar nuestra cena "Parce, toda esta comida estaba tan rica que te hace sentir que estás en el cielo". El Cielo, un nombre tan propio para este encantador lugar. Nuevamente, muchísimas gracias a todos por hacer, y ser parte, de esta experiencia única e inolvidable para nosotros. Hasta la próxima! read more

El Cielo - Valentine's Experience - Latin American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was definitely a whole experience. In fact two of the courses (chocotherapy and rose petals) were more about smell and feel then food and we didn't mind because we were still full by the end (we did the chef's course which was 10 courses). Everything we ate was delicious but my favorites were probably the tree of life bread (gluten free) and spreads and truffle bunelo or corn soup. I would definitely recommend doing it once even though it's expensive. Also be sure to plan ahead and not have too many other plans since it's a 3 hour event. read more

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This review is solely for the "Bar experience". Nothing was awe inspiring aside from the service. The staff are truly conversationalist with the biggest smiles known to man. Those tidbits aside I had four drinks & wasn't even buzzed afterwards. The food was ok. The one drink that was slightly above average was the old fashioned complex with the "smoke effect". I was under the assumption that the experience was a la carte & you simply choose which four items you'd indulge in & boy was I wrong. After all the taxes & fees Twas $200 & this was definitely not worth it. The best things I had here were things that aren't on the menu & that basically I was being offered under the pretense that I was a good customer which were merely tastes of things potentially being put on the menu. The food pairs actually well with the cocktails which is the part of the reason I didn't rate lower however what's the point of drinking if you don't get a buzz. read more

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Culinary experience! We had a great time. It's a bit long, 3.5 hours so just be prepared. read more

The creativity employed in creating every single dishes not only gave out a complexity of flavors but also a pleasant sense of satisfaction. I highly recommend El Cielo whether is for a special occasion or at any time for those that enjoy fine dining. The chocolate experience, something different & very unique. We tried different cocktails, also the wine pairing. I was in love with the final desserts, The butterflies (inspired by Gabriel Garcia Marquez), beautiful candy (and tasty) looked like emeralds and the coffee experience was perfect. read more

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The most expensive disappointing date night ever. I live above the restaurant. Restaurant week arrives and my boyfriend and I decide to give it a try... our reservations were for 8pm. We arrive with much anticipation as we have heard nothing but great things about the reputation of the establishment globally. We were seated in a small corner near the door. The table seamed crowded for 2 of us, though it was originally set for 3. It took 35 min to have the third chair removed (and I had to ask). We didn't get our first drink until 8:40 which looked like it had been sitting a little given the melted ice. We picked our courses and after we finished our starter our plates sat on the table for a long time. It took 1.5 hours for our main course to come and that's after having ordered it! The worst part about it was no one had come to us to communicate what was going on. We were so confused. Our only hope was the busboy who kept saying our drinks/ course was coming. We finally called what looked like to be the manager over and when asking him if he was the manager he said "Maybe". He said he'd see what he could do about the bill at the end of the night and got us more drinks. In hindsight that wasn't a good idea because we were upset about not getting our food, so then you give us more drinks on empty stomach? What seemed like the real manager came over and we told him about everything. He was super apologetic and agreed that the night had been a disaster. Asked us to come back on a much slower night to accommodate us. Basically what that told me is they wouldn't be able to handle us on a Friday or Saturday night. He also sent an email to us the same night around 1:30 am. The icing on the cake was at the end of the night after giving us drinks and coffee to make up for everything they brought us a bill for the water. I'm sorely disappointed in this place. You shouldn't have to pay in advance and be charged 20% gratuity when you get terrible service. It's so backwards. Thank God this wasn't a special occasion. The only good thing I can say is that the food tasted phenomenal. Save your money or try this restaurant in Colombia... not in DC read more

El Cielo - Crab arepas - Latin American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The service was great! The food was really, I mean really overpriced. It is a beautiful restaurant but I would not go back. For the ammmour we spend too much for not much food. read more

El Cielo - Quail and risotto - Latin American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a Michelin starred restaurant. My daughter took us there for dinner the Friday after Thanksgiving. The food is Colombian, and you get 9 courses. Each course is imaginative and the presentation is over the top. The service is very good and the food is different, but really good. This place is expensive, but worth it as an experience. read more

Such a fun experience! I has 'The Experience' and wow Was is unforgettable! The dishes were so vibrant with so many different flavors and textures. I highly recommend. They also throw in some fun twists! Alejandro was such a great server! read more

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Gorgeous spot next to La Cosecha and Union Market serving up extremely elevated Colombian fare. They have a gorgeous wine and cocktail list (that come in even more gorgeous preparations) - the Bourbon + Passionfruit cocktail is tart, rich, and deceptively alcoholic. The menu is a bit spendy but this is certainly an occasion place. The crab arepas are presented with 3 colors of maize rounds (green, purple, and yellow) and comes with a fruit salsa and pickled beets. The ceviches are equisitly prepared and almost too pretty to eat. The ceviche of the day comes with crunchy quinoa and delicately sliced kumquat. The rest of the menu also looks lovely and we cannot wait to get back for a proper sit down meal. They have garage doors on two sides that I would think would provide plenty of air in COVID times. read more

El Cielo - Ceviche del Día - Latin American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to experience "The Experience Tasting" for my Valentine's dinner! We have not stopped talking about it. It is truly an experience, from the ambiance walking in, to the service, the music playing, to the individual adventures your taste buds go through! It took us a few hours, but it was perfect. Truly a romantic experience. The tables were spread apart and we had the perfect set up right up front. They try to hit all of your senses. There was even a chocolate hand wash... which was literally finger licking good. I cannot get over the creative flavors and how much of a story went along with every course. My valentine did not tell me where we were going and instead surprised me with this. He did great. I am now looking for any excuse to enjoy another evening at Elcielo :) read more

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We got the 16 course menu and it was phenomenal! The experience was great and loved how every course had a story. The staff was very friendly and took pictures of us and videos! Great experience! read more

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We made reservations for a Friday evening. El Cielo is a Columbian restaurant with one Michelin Star! We tried the Journey, which is 14 courses (2 of which are sensory experiences). The meal starts with several small amuse bouches: the soursop & champagne sorbet, Aborrajado and Truffle Bunuelo. The sorbet was sour but super refreshing. A great way to start off the Journey! Second was the Aborrajado, elevated style. It was like a little sandwich on this huge wooden block. A bite of flavor! Third was the Truffle Bunuelo was packed with umami taste, one of our favorite courses by far. As our meal continued, the portions got bigger! The crab empanadas were make your own, but the breading was super cute crab shape! Our first sensory experience was chocotherapy. They have you close your eyes and they pour warm chocolate on your hands (tell you to lick it). Next they pour some cinnamon (and maybe sugar), you rub your hands together to exfoliate then they rinse it off. Definitely an interesting experience. The Tree of Life came with this delicious bread and dip! I could eat so much of that bread, it was amazing. I believe there was some cheese on it. The corn soup was next, lots of different textures and flavors. There was a pastey block along with crunchies. The Lobster Ceviche Rolls came in these cheap hotdog platter/paper, not really what I would expect at a michelin restaurant. I get the vibe they were going for, but meh. The Rockfish Tamal with some type of sauce and lots of edible florals was pretty good! I think at this point was getting pretty full. Last salty entree was, Posta Magra. A pork dish with another type of sauce, I cannot recall. The last two dishes were desserts, popsicle and cholao. The "last" was the second sensory experience with Rose Petals. They hand you rose petals with some sort of lotion on it, they have you rub your hands together. Overall, a decent experience. I have some mixed feelings, because there were really good dishes. I could eat more of that tree of life bread and the truffle bunuelo. But this is a been there, tried it restaurant...i probably don't need to come back. read more

I dined at Elcielo with 3 guests (4 of us in total) on Saturday August 13. The purpose of the occasion was to celebrate my mother's birthday. When we arrived at Elcielo, I informed the hostess that we were celebrating a birthday and she responded that she would take note of it. We arrived a few minutes past our reservation time. I noticed our meals came to us out of order and we were rushed in between courses just so that our table could catch up with the other tables as the kitchen was preparing one course at a time and sending it out to everyone at once. We were trying to follow the menu to understand what we were eating and what would come next, but it was confusing when they brought out the 3rd course. We barely finished the 3rd course when they brought out the 2nd course. Then immediately the 1st course. And then the 4th course. It felt messy and I was annoyed that our table was rushed (fail #1). During the "Tree of Life" course, I noticed that every table of 2 had received 1 order. Our table of 4 also received 1 order, but that did not seem fair. If there is 1 order per 2 guests, then our table of 4 people should have received 2 orders of the "Tree of Life" (fail #2), especially given the high cost per person the Elcielo charges. We came to the end of the meal and received the check for the drinks we ordered. The restaurant did NOTHING for a birthday celebration (fail #3, and the biggest mistake). I assume the hostess neglected or forgot to inform the restaurant we were celebrating a birthday. Meanwhile, the table behind us received a candle on a dessert. For the cost they charge and level of service & attention to detail that I expect from Michelin star restaurant, Elcielo fell short of providing an exceptional dining experience for a special occasion. read more

Best dining experience I've ever had. Loved the chocolate hand bath and coffee experience that made you feel like you were sipping coffee in cloudy Columbian Mountains. Food was superb and so interesting read more

Well, I don't know what to say. It was my first time having food made at that level. And what an experience that was. Everything was amazing from the food to the service, to the ambiance. My favorite part had to be the Tree of Life, but honestly each part of The Journey was something special. For drinks we had mojitos and a papaya signature cocktail. Unforgettable read more

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Great dining experience - so much food!! You will definitely leave full. The cocktails are great if you prefer over the wine flights. The space is a little tight, and generally a little more expensive compared to other 1 michelin star restaurants in town, but still worth the trip. They highlight Columbia's culture in a wonderful way, even with a chocolate hand wash which is unique and yummy. read more

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A wonderful and immersive dining experience! The chocolate sensory experience is one of a kind. The cocktails are fabulous and the service is outstanding. read more

Definitely an experience but I think there are better. Some dishes were very delicious and others I think I would've liked something more creative and unique. For example, one of the courses they poured chocolate all over your hands and you're supposed to lick it off. If the chocolate was unique and delicious I wouldn't have minded it and thought it was part of the experience but it just tasted like plain milk chocolate. There was also another course where you just lick the plate. It was good but it feels like they overall thought more of the experience than the food and I would've preferred food over experience. Great service though. I don't regret going but I don't think I will come back. read more

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Service, atmosphere, and whimsy were all fantastic. Interacting with the food was fun and allowed us to play and chat. And I got a beautiful color-changing cocktail that was delicious. However, We do fancy tasting menus every year, and this might be the first time I left without a sense of pure elation. It felt like the food was more about the show than the taste. This is obvious in a course like chocotherapy where this is purposeful, but was disappointing in the cheese bread tree of life, for example, when it seemed like the food experience should match the presentation. There were several courses that did not wow me on flavor and texture, despite how pretty everything was. The first few bites blew the rest of the meal away with a delicate, playful sorbet and delicious and strange mushroom ball bites. Empanadas were fun and yummy, and then courses started getting less delicious. There was a soup and pate course that was light on flavor. The mashed potatoes with the main course were inedibly gluey, the clear worst of the evening. The dip'n dots-style dessert was unpleasant to eat, and the anniversary chocolate mousse was bland. With the anniversary package also comes a photo of us, which is so dark, you can barely see us. Ending on a positive again, the staff was wonderfully attentive, we were served quickly and had the courses explained well, and left feeling cared for by the team that worked with us. I am just used to being wowed with every bite at a Michelin star tasting, and here I left a bit underwhelmed. read more

We are big foodies and once in awhile we will splurge on a luxurious tasting course. When I found out about 22 course taste menu, I was of course very excited to try them out! Coming from the NYC dining scene, I had some high expectations especially given the price tag. The food should not only blow us away but the service that comes with it should be exemplary. While the presentation of the food was creative and most were quite tasteful...the lack of attention of detail/personalization that we are accustomed to from previous fine dining experiences, was a disappointment and big miss here. The fine dining experience should begin right when you enter the door. While the host was nice, it was still a very generic greeting. I also had to remind him that we were celebrating my husband's birthday (which should have been noted in advance when I made the reservation). We were then escorted to the back in view of the kitchen which was nice and cozy. There was a printed menu. With my name misspelled. More diners arrived with the same reservation time and the cozy atmosphere soon felt crowded, and loud. We had different servers throughout the night, they were nice, but again very generic and non personable. At the start of the dinner, I asked one server if it was noted that we were celebrating a birthday to which she said she would make sure it was covered. Sadly at the completion of the night and no sign of anything else to come (and after witnessing other tables getting a celebratory treat), I quickly asked another server about it. They quickly put something together in a very rushed fashion. So all in all we paid a hefty price for a disappointing experience. The service should be even better than the food. Maybe it's not fair to compare to them to Eleven Madison or Le Espalier but man, when your price tag is in the same boat, there will be HIGH expectations... read more

I really loved all the food and drinks here, and everyone was so nice. We did the 13 course meal--everything was super inventive and always a play on something, which we loved. I will say two things majorly hindered us from enjoying our evening more. One was the timing--I didn't get my cocktail until the 3rd course, and they were pushing us through the courses way too fast. My friend would be done with her course and I wasn't yet, or vice versa, and they took that as a sign to bring the next course while one of us was still eating the previous one. We didn't have any time to talk unless we just stopped eating (while we were hungry!) to prevent them from bringing another course through. The second thing is it's actually an 11 course meal--I don't want to spoil the surprise, and the other two courses are nice/fun, but it's not to eat. I don't think I would come back for a full sit-down meal again but I might come back to try the cocktail flight at the bar. read more

I pretty much agree with all the recent 1-3 star reviews given already and highly regret not reading them before dining here. Food was mostly great although I found some dishes unbalanced (too tart, too salty or too sweet). The bad: DO NOT GET THE WINE PAIRING. We've done many many wine pairings at Michelin restaurants and these were the skimpiest little pours I'd ever seen. We opted for 9 tastings over 5 and none were memorable and our group left completely sober. And as I'm writing this, I'm realizing their website says for the $150 we paid, we should have gotten 10?! I'd say we got 1.5 to maybe 2 full glasses worth of wine at the end of it. And as others mentioned, the pace was completely off and we were without wine the majority of our dinner. What's worse is that this is mentioned in so many reviews and obviously nothing is being done about it. Service overall was poor and scattered. There were many basic details missed from (not) clearing dishes to being unable to hear or understand most of what the waiters were saying due to loud music and general lack of clarity. At the end of the meal, we expressed our dissatisfaction and the woman who helped us was gracious and apologetic. There was a group event in the front of the restaurant so we understand it could have been a bit crazy for them, but after reading other reviews it seems like our poor experience isn't unique. Unfortunately I can't imagine this place keeping their star at this rate. read more

Lengthy Review Ahead - On Saturday night (1/15/2022), my partner and I visited El Cielo for dinner. We booked our reservations weeks ago and were very excited to be celebrating our 5 year anniversary there. In fact, we got engaged a few hours before dinner and thought it would be an incredible way to close out a day we'll never forget. Unfortunately, we were sorely disappointed. When you spend $1,000 on dinner for two, you expect a certain experience and this was worse than I could have expected. An overview: - When we were first seated, our waiter checked in on us and asked if we wanted to order a few drinks while we waited. We had to tell him that we had actually ordered the wine pairing. I feel like this is something they should know and not something that needs reminding. We actually made an error when booking and only added one pairing - once they let us know ,we were easily able to adjust and ad a second. - The pacing of the food was just really bad. After being seated for a few minutes, plates started coming out left and right. We'd get a quick overview from a server and before we could taste or discuss the food, another plate was coming (we were hoping that maybe this was just the case for the small plates that kicked the experience off, but unfortunately not). It was very obvious that they were pushing food out for the three tables that were seated in our section (ours included). While I know that this is how a kitchen works, I don't think it's over the top to expect a personalized experience for fine dining. The pacing was so off that at one point, I had three, full wine glasses in front of me at one time - I couldn't keep up with what drink was paired with what item and felt rushed to eat and drink to try and keep pace. - It was FREEZING and I don't mean a little bit chilly. I noticed a few people wearing coats when we entered, which I thought was odd, but I soon realized why. We were seated in the main room which was , at a minimum, 15 degrees colder than the back room and had one space heater (which obviously did nothing). It was so cold that I had to put on my Parka to try and stay warm. This was a winter day in DC, sure, but I truly cannot think of an excuse to not have sufficient heat in a restaurant in winter. I've been warmer at Waffle House. - At the end of the night, once we had finished the meal our waiter was nowhere to be found. After waiting for a bit, we (and the folks at the table beside us) had to get up and find staff to get the final checks. While the food wasn't out of this world, it was interesting and well presented. But, I have had much better food and MUCH MUCH better experiences for a fraction of the price. We walked away feeling like we'd been scammed. It's hard for me to believe that this is the experience that gave El Cielo a Michelin Star. Could not, in good conscience, recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

A Michelin miss. My friends and I have enjoyed numerous Michelin-rated restaurants here and globally. But last night was an exception. We have never experienced such remarkable food ruined by needless theater, robotic service, and an insulting wine pairing. El Cielo's Juan Manuel Barrientos offers an incredible menu. The 21-course tasting is made of truly exquisite ingredients and preparations. The experience, however, is brutalized by needless theatrics, drama, and a scripted wait staff that lack the training, knowledge, and experience necessary to make El Cielo a Michelin Star experience. The "experience" forced by staff detracts from the remarkable food. Questions and requests rattled staff who only knew a "script" and were incapable of addressing anything that wasn't part of the "experience's" run of show. And the pace of service was uncomfortable fast and long. Among the evening's most egregious offenders were El Cielo's $150 per person wine pairing. Each pairing includes partial pours of pedestrian wines accessible at any local convenience store. There was nothing special or unique about the wines, nor were they especially complementary to the paired dish. Some meals are enhanced by unique presentations and experiences. Barrientos' menu isn't one of them. I'm glad to have experienced Barrientos's food. I won't do it again. read more

so you don't need the wine pairing because the wine list is bad. the food tastes good, but most of it is theatrical/for show on instagram if you like that stuff. talking some liquid nitrogen, the weird hand chocolate thing, licking your plates etc. overall flavors were on the sweeter side + acidity. two of us got the journey (14 courses, but one is literally lotion for your hands), and after buying one cocktail/glass of wine each + prepaid tip + tax it came out to $270 per person. for this price I do think the whole experience is exceptionally average. the food tastes good, but not uniquely incredible; the service is nice, but not great either. altogether, the premium is charged because you want to have someone take a video of you eating chocolate off your hands (the chocolate does taste good) and not because you want a meal that you're gonna remember. i had a great time with a friend because we enjoy each other's company but if you're looking forward to food, i'd go somewhere else. read more

This was our second time dining at El Cielo, and it was even better than the first time. Our server - in fact, all the staff - seemed to really enjoy being there and taking care of us. The description of each of the 20 or so courses of "The experience" was lovingly presented. I couldn't pick a favorite if I tried - every one of them was fantastic. Drinks were beautifully crafted and whimsically served. We also had the optional caviar service, which was worth it! Over the course of three hours, We were entertained by the stories of the food, and indulged in absolutely fantastic flavors. We drank black coffee brewed at the table (acccompanied by a story) and had chocolate poured over our hands. Overall a marvelous experience, well worth the cost of admission. If I were the Michelin reviewer, I would have awarded three stars! The space is beautifully decorated, with the bar at the rear displaying all its bottles along with innovative decorative glasses and containers. And as a bonus, parking is free! read more

4.5 stars Great food and experiences with the staff. Some flavor combinations are more interesting than others but the design of the dishes were still able to be appreciated. The experience was around three hours so be careful to pace yourself and enjoy the non-traditional aspects of this dinner. read more

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TL;DR Overall... great flavors, too much sweet, too much salt. Service and timing need some polish. I would consider shaving down the menu. There's just way too much and not all of it is great. With just a few little edits it would be outstanding and probably a little easier for the staff to manage. Wine pairing needs some work. We visited El Cielo to celebrate our anniversary. We travel around the world for food and have experienced a wide variety of tasting menus. I won't go into exact details to avoid spoilers. Overall the meal is great, but there is still some work to be done. The flavor is there! The flow, timing, finer details... not so much. This chef clearly has a gift for flavor. The "snacks" were absolutely amazing. The first two courses were both cocktails and were an exuberant kickstart for the meal, awakening our taste buds while also causing a happy little grin from the alcohol buzz. The blood sausage macaron was utterly unique and memorable. There was a cheeseball that tasted good, but I think it came to the table at the wrong temperature. At lukewarm it was good, but I think it would have had a different flavor profile if it was served a little hotter. There was also an "uni donut" that I also felt may not have been served properly because the texture and temperature just seemed a little off (chewy instead of flaky), but my husband adored it because he loves uni. The Tree of Life yuca bread was delicious and beautiful. Both the soups were an amazing mix of flavors in every bite. The "salad" with rosewater, scallop and hearts of palm was a miss for me. The flavors were just not very good, but it was forgivable since all the preceding dishes had been mostly well executed. I have to say the meal lost a little heading into the main courses. Every dish seemed too sweet and also very heavily salted. We had a gnocchi dish, 2 different fish, and finished with duck. EVERY dish served all evening had a sweet element. Both my husband and I had already tired of sweet flavors early in the meal, and I honestly felt my blood pressure was soaring from all the salt by the end. There was nothing extraordinary in the main dishes and I felt like I was just trying to push through them to finish the 4 hour meal. The desserts were delicious and very imaginative! I won't go into details, but they were a great little fun and flavorful experience, There are absolutely some extraordinary little surprises all throughout the meal! As for some of the criticisms... to start, I did not feel like the pairing matched the meal at all. We started with Veuve Cliquot, which is honestly fairly accessible and not something I would expect on a tasting menu. The first two wines are meant to go through ALL the snacks, which take quite a long time. We found ourselves without wine for quite a while in the beginning. I asked for a little more of the 2nd wine and never received any. They should serve the first glass after the cocktails. Overall I did not feel the flavors of the wine were great or even complimented the food. It seemed like the pairing was created completely separate from the menu. Lastly, the overall timing was just not very polished. The staff were all incredibly nice, just a little out of sync. For starters, they did not have our reservation on record and tried to seat us in the main dining area. When you prepay almost $1k for a meal you don't expect to run into these little snafus. They did eventually take us to the "Experience" room once we pushed a little. The timing between courses seemed off... I'm not a fan of having to wait a long time between courses. I'd personally recommend shaving down the menu a little. 4 hours is a long meal. There were other little nitpickey things. For example, they didn't bring several things we asked for... they would just say 'yes, of course', but they never came. They didn't do little things like fold your napkin when you get up to use the restroom or fill your water. Again, somewhat insignificant details, but they matter if you're trying to compete at this level. Finally, at the end of the meal we were presented with a $15 check for our 2 bottles of water. We threw down a $20 and got up to get some blood flowing back in our legs (again, after a 4 hour meal)... they then proceeded to chase us down outside to tell us we needed to pay for the waters. Ok, so we just prepaid nearly $1,000 for this meal, did you honestly think we were going to stiff you for 2 bottles of water?!? They claimed the $20 was hidden under a napkin, which was absolutely not true. Even still, come on, 2 bottles of water??? I certainly don't regret the visit. The chef is absolutely talented and I look forward to trying another tasting menu in the future... I'm just not sure I'll be back anytime soon. read more

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My husband and I celebrated food/life with the tasting experience at El Cielo. It was a three hour tasting menu filled with a combination of savory, sweet, tangy, and everything in between dishes that is also interactive and playful. My husband said we are paying extra to eat like our toddler. Licking dessert off the plate and washing your hands with chocolate is what every kid (and adult) dream of doing at the dinner table. Service was wonderful. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. The servers did an excellent description of their food and the chef's inspiration behind the dishes. Our sparkling water was refilled right before the glass went empty. The timing of the dishes during our dining timeframe was perfect. The tasting experience started with one bite dishes that arrived to the table one after the other. Once they were serving the bigger dishes, the timing of each dish spaced out a little longer. If you or someone at your table went to the restroom, they were mindful and served the other tables first. They were also mindful to hold alcohol and substitute raw items in a few dishes since I was pregnant. The atmosphere was ambient with the gorgeous open kitchen. All the chefs in the kitchen were professional. Same goes for the servers. There were a few moments where it felt kind of warm temperature wise. I think the air conditioner did crank up a bit for a short period. The tables were spaced out enough where you couldn't hear other people's conversations, yet able to interact with the next table if you wanted to. The restrooms were not that impressive. I suggest a place to rest our purse or personal belongings in the bathroom. Also, a place for our purse at the table would be nice too. My favorite dishes from our tasting experience were the crab empanadas with the delicious crab filling; bread of life that was as beautiful looking as it tasted where the outside was firm and the inside was so chewy and soft; corn bunuelo that bursted with flavor as I put the whole bite in my mouth; pumpkin soup that was so creamy: seafood soup where the seafood was cooked perfectly; salt crusted rockfish that was so silky; and pantone with all the different textures when it comes to dessert. What fell short for me during our dining experience was they forgot about our boxed leftovers. I asked for two of my dishes to be boxed since I wanted to save room for upcoming dishes. I'm glad they agreed to do that since I've never asked that question before at a tasting menu. Both, they and we forgot to get those leftovers when we left. When we remember, it was odd how we didn't even get a phone call about the leftovers. My husband went back to the restaurant to pick them up. We also asked for the leftover bread of life to be boxed and they forgot which is upsetting because I was really looking forward to eating that delicious bread at home. Also, this is the first tasting menu where we weren't given "treats" as a farewell and thank you gift. All the other tasting menus I've had made sure we left with shortbread, macaroons, house made candies, scones, something as a departure gesture. I did find it odd how we didn't leave with a gift here. But as far as all the flavors and fun that came with the tasting experience here, they are deserving of Michelin. This was my first time eating Colombian/Colombian inspired food. This place has lots of potential but just a few tweaks to make them perfection. read more

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Great experience for a birthday dinner with friends! We chose the 16 course meal and it was such an amazing sensory experience. I would say we were not so fond of maybe 2 of the 16 dishes but don't let that take away from how great the other dishes were! Some had explosions of flavor while others played with different textures and temperature. I also loved how interactive it was, especially the chocolate pouring on our hands which was fun and so yummy. Another dish had us licking the plate! My favorites (I do not know the exact names) included these corn balls, crab fried item, bread tree, and pumpkin soup. This restaurant definitely pays attention to details and allows you to appreciate the art and beauty of cuisine. read more

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I took my boyfriend here for his birthday last night and the food and experience were just okay. It started out very well and we were happy with the food and the drinks but as the main courses (mainly seafood) came, we were not impressed. The cod was not good at all. Too much raw quinoa and way too much sour cream. We also didn't care for the lamb. The best part of the meal was the onion soup and white chocolate. The desserts were okay but very rich. The wait time I'm between courses was too long. There was no rhythm. The staff was nice but they seemed bored while they waited for the food to be served. It was also hard to hear them describe the food. I am glad we tried the testing menu but we wouldn't go back. read more

We came here on a Friday evening with my fiancé and her best friend for her birthday. I had made the reservation several weeks earlier, but there were plenty of seats open when we arrived. We all did The Journey experience (14-16 courses) and they were able to accommodate a vegetarian guest. The food was the highlight of this visit and, in my opinion, worthy of their Michelin star. The courses were interesting, interactive, and fun. One of the more interesting courses was "Chocotherapy," where warm chocolate was poured over our hands and we were instructed to lick them clean and remember our childhood. Despite amazing food, there was a palpable disconnect between the price point/ambiance with the service provided. Examples: - Had to ask for the sauce that spilled to be cleaned from our table - Did not ask if we were finished eating before taking our birthday dessert away - One of our guests was vegetarian and the waitress asked her multiple questions such as why are you vegetarian? and how long? for religious reasons? While maybe trying to stimulate conversation it felt a bit invasive - For our vegetarian guest they told her to read the description of her dish rather than explain what she was served - Bathrooms had paper towels all over the floor, clearly had not been attended to - Was given the wrong check TLDR: Would go for the food and experience, don't have highest expectations for the service read more

This is the most disappointing tasting menu + wine pairing we've ever had. While a few of the courses were absolutely delicious, most were sub par or completely inedible and just for show. But the biggest issue was the lack of wine and water. At one point between courses we had no wine or water for 30+ minutes even though we specially asked for an extra glass of wine knowing we would pay extra. Still they didn't bring anything. We paid more than $315 per person, and while I'm more than willing to give grace for COVID issues, this was a little beyond. The wines overall were so-so and we agreed that some of the dishes were more concerned with "experience" than quality. It's the only tasting menu we've ever done that we've walked away from hungry and completely sober. read more

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